1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a map image display device using a map image display program ideally suited to, for example, an in-vehicle navigation device.
2. Background Information
In-vehicle navigation devices are widely used to support comfortable vehicular travel. An in-vehicle navigation device generally has a map image display function, which functions by determining the map image to be displayed based on an input command by the user or based on the vehicle's present position, and route guidance and the like for the vehicle while displaying both the map image and names, such as location names and facility names.
In addition, as an example of an in-vehicle navigation device with improved operability, voice input-type in-vehicle navigation devices that can input user commands by voice have been developed and commercialized in recent years. As an example of such a voice input-type in-vehicle navigation device, a device has been proposed that sets the target vocabulary for voice recognition to names such as location names and facility names displayed on a map image, and, when the user utters one of these names, switches the map image to be displayed to a map image (enlarged image) in the vicinity of that name (for example, refer to Japanese Laid Open Patent Application No. 7-319383).
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved map image display device. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.